Elusive // The Weasley Twins

8. Cinnamon Gin

    "Part of my apology," she said with a hopeful smile. "I also have firewhisky and vodka so you can take your pick."

George glanced at the bottle in her hand but he only paused for a few seconds before grabbing it and turning to walk back into the shop. Cosette took that as her invitation to go in as well and she quickly hurried inside.

Cosette wanted to take a minute for herself to look around. She hadn't stepped foot inside the joke shop in years. For the most part, everything looked the same but the displays were different and showing off what looked to be a new product. There were more decorations hanging from the walls but it didn't seem right to walk through the aisles without dodging a firework or two. Instead of having music blaring from the overhead speakers, the only thing she heard was hers and George's footsteps creaking against the wooden panels.

She followed him towards the circular staircase in the corner but Cosette took one more glance over her shoulder before starting to head upstairs.

Before coming to Diagon Alley, Cosette told herself that she wouldn't get emotional. The last thing either of them needed right now was for one of them to start crying. She came here with the sole purpose of apologizing and making amends to patch up the friendship she walked out on.

Her hand slid up the railing the entire way up. George held the door open to his flat for her to walk in and made sure to switch the lights to the shop off before locking the door behind him. Cosette stood anxiously in the living room as her eyes darted around the familiar space.

George made his way towards the kitchen and with the bottle gripped in his hand he used the other to grab a couple glasses out of the cupboard, "You already opened it?" He asked, as he started to take the cap off.

All Cosette could do was nod as she became overwhelmed by all of the little things in his home that reminded her of Fred. Her eyes immediately went to a framed photo on the wall of the twins standing in front of the doors of their new shop. Cosette was the one who took the photo and the corner of her lips twitched into a smile as she remembered how excited they were to be able to open.

On the couch against the wall to the far left, there were two pillows. One red, one yellow with initials embroidered into them. F and G. She recalled Fred not wanting to leave them on display but Cosette had to remind him that those pillows were the first things Molly had given to them when they moved out and she'd be disappointed not to see them if she came by.

"So did you get drunk and decide to come by?" George's voice snapped her back to the present and she turned to her right to see him standing there with the drinks in his hand.

"I-" It took her a second to process his question as Fred still weighed heavily on her mind. She really didn't want any of the gin but she grabbed the glass anyway so as to not be rude and took a sip. "No, no. I'm not drunk, I had a few sips as I walked over here, I thought I had opened up the firewhisky to be honest."

She also might have had one drink before leaving her house but George didn't need to know that.

"How'd you even get here?" George asked, referring to Diagon Alley knowing very well that she lived in London. The way he spoke to her was very short and cautious. Cosette had it in her head earlier that he wasn't even going to talk to her so she wasn't going to complain about the way he spoke. She sort of deserved it.

"Floo powder," she took another sip, a bigger one, scrunching up her face as the liquid burned her throat. Cinnamon gin was definitely not her drink of choice but she knew that it was one of George's favorites which is why she picked it up. He at least was nice enough to put ice in her glass to help water it down.